Kew Gardens

Trip Start Aug 06, 2010
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Trip End Nov 13, 2010


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Flag of United Kingdom  , England,
Monday, November 8, 2010

It is now winter. Maybe not officially but it is certainly cold and not enjoyable outdoors.  Today was cold and wet.  Late morning we met Tom's cousin Sharon O’Dea (relationship unknown).  She works for the Houses of Parliament and had offered to show us around.  It is a popular place to visit but it was special being able to look around with someone who works there.  Sharon took us on the regular tour, then we had morning tea in one of the 18 restaurants/ cafes.  Sharon had a meeting so we left and went to the grounds of Westminster Abbey and into St Margaret’s church which is next door.  In the lawn, people were hammering in thousands of small crosses in memorial of people who had died in wars.  It was an incredible sight.

We went back and had lunch with Sharon in another café then went out into the cold and rain to walk to the national Portrait Galley where we spent the afternoon
Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament, London
Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament, London
.  We had intended exploring outside but didn't want to get very wet.

We met Tom’s cousin Pauline in Eastcote (Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines) for dinner at an excellent fish restaurant.  Pauline and Ruth had proper fish and chips but Tom had his fish grilled.

The reply from Etihad did not please Ruth.  They do not respond to emails; their customers need to ring the call centre.  Obviously they think they are big enough that they no longer need to respond to customers’ requests.  Ruth likes such arrangements in writing so neither party can forget what was arranged.  As the flight over was OK – neither stunning nor totally bad, this had put Etihad near, or at, the bottom of airline companies we would recommend.  Put another way – only to be used if the price differential is too great to ignore.
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